"If Song Shulan isn't even father's daughter and Song Hong and the others have deceived her from the start, then they've not only sullied father's reputation after his death, tarnished his love with mother, but also allowed that illegitimate child to take the name of the second house and seize everything that should have belonged to her!!
Blood seeped from her lips as Song Tangning angrily said, 'I want to go back.'
Xiao Yan spoke, 'I can take you back, but what do you plan to do once you’re there? Expose her identity or confront Song Hong and the others?'
Song Tangning instinctively opened her mouth to speak.
Xiao Yan continued calmly, 'You have no evidence in hand, so what good will questioning them do?'
'The Song family holds a noble title and prides itself on its purity. They would never allow a confusion of bloodlines. The fact that they've allowed that illegitimate daughter to stay in the household indicates she carries Song family blood.'
In other words, if Song Shulan isn't the daughter of the eldest, Song Hong, then she must be the daughter of the third, Song Tan.
'They dared to let that illegitimate daughter impersonate someone from the second house because they were certain you wouldn’t realize it. You have no evidence to prove she isn’t your father’s daughter.'
'You could go and question Song Hong and the others, even make a scene, but what if they deny everything and accuse you of disrespecting your elders, slandering their reputation? What would you do then?'
'I…'
Song Tangning was at a loss.
She was just a girl raised in comfort and didn’t know much about deceit and manipulation, even though she had died in the Song household full of resentment in her past life.
Seeing her confusion, Xiao Yan said, 'If Song Shulan were just Song Tan’s daughter, the Song family wouldn’t need to go to such lengths to cover it up, unless her existence threatens the Song family’s future or could destroy the Song family’s standing in court. And you should know who that person is.'
Song Tangning trembled, 'It’s Song Hong…'
Xiao Yan responded with a hum.
'I know you’re angry, but you have to understand that someone like Song Hong, who has been entrenched in the court for years, will never allow you to ruin his reputation.'
'If you go back now and question them, if they’re kind-hearted, they might try to calm you down and convince you to let things go. Everyone would be fine.'
'But if they’re ruthless, they might erase all evidence and turn the tables on you, not only destroying your father’s posthumous reputation but also cementing that illegitimate daughter’s identity, making sure you can never shake her off.'
'They hold the authority of elders and could easily ruin you.'
Song Tangning, having died once before, knew all too well the cruelty of the Song family.
Her heart trembled, and she couldn’t help but look up. 'Then what should I do?'
Seeing her calm down so quickly, a hint of admiration flashed in Xiao Yan’s eyes. 'Either endure it or, if you move, make sure it’s a lethal strike.'
Song Tangning bit her lip.
Enduring it wasn’t an option for her, but if she wanted to strike a lethal blow…
'The biggest mistake in confronting an enemy is acting without a plan. Knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory.'
'You are naturally at a disadvantage against Song Hong and the Song family, as challenging your elders is against the rules of propriety. So you need to first identify their weaknesses, understand your own strengths, and know what they want and fear, and what you can use to balance the scales.'
Xiao Yan’s slender fingers rested on his knee as he spoke lightly.
Like teaching a child, he patiently guided her.
'Before acting, consider everything carefully. Even when risking your life, leave yourself a way out. Those who are skilled in battle are brave, but those who win hearts are the real victors. Do you understand?'
Song Tangning lowered her head in thought.
Song Hong and the others cared about their reputation, their image, and the Song family’s honor, and they feared the truth about Song Shulan’s identity being revealed, which could ruin Song Hong’s career.
And her advantage…
Although her birth was noble, the fact that her parents were both deceased naturally garnered sympathy. The Song family’s persecution would only make others pity her more, and she had an aunt who was a princess and extremely protective, along with a deceased grandfather who had been a Grand Tutor, respected by many old ministers in court.
As long as she was in the right, she had nothing to fear.
The confusion left Song Tangning’s eyes, and she felt at ease. Looking at Xiao Yan again, she couldn’t help but bite her lip.
This person had previously wanted her dead, toyed with her cruelly, and pushed her to the brink of despair.
Now, he was teaching her how to deal with the Song family. What exactly was his intention?
'Why is Supervisor Xiao helping me?'
After a pause, Tangning seemed to recall something. 'Earlier, you mentioned you had harmed the interests of many people and made enemies. Does that include the Song family?'
Seeing her wariness, Xiao Yan chuckled. 'Don’t overthink it. If I wanted someone dead, I wouldn’t need to borrow the hand of a child like you.'
The events of that year were a secret, involving too many lives. It wasn’t good for her to know, so he changed his approach.
'The jade pendant around your neck was left by my mother’s sister, who saved my life.'
'It was her beloved item. There are two pieces, one she gave to my mother, and the other to her closest friend.'
He reached into his robe and pulled out the other half of the dragon-patterned jade, spreading it open in his palm.
Song Tangning’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively reached up to touch the broken jade pendant that had been returned to her neck.
She had worn this jade pendant since childhood, and she naturally remembered it. She always thought it was just a broken piece of jade, but it turned out there was another half, and that half was in Xiao Yan’s hands.
'When I was young, Aunt Xue often talked about her friend’s daughter, and she said that if I ever met you, I should call you Sister and protect you. So you don’t need to be afraid of me.'
Sister?
It was like a thunderbolt in her mind, and Song Tangning froze.
She had seen Xiao Yan’s ruthless and cold nature, so she understood why he suddenly made concessions because of this jade pendant.
Just because she was connected to the "Aunt Xue" he mentioned, he was willing to teach her how to deal with the Song family and stand up for her. But what if this jade was in Song Shulan's hands?
Song Tangning's vision darkened, and she struggled to keep her eyes down to avoid losing her composure on the spot.
In her previous life, after being sent back to the Song family, she had woken up to find her clothes changed and the jade missing. Song Jinxiu and the others claimed that when the farmer brought her back, the jade was already gone, and she assumed it had been lost in the mountains.
After she was disfigured and crippled, Song Shulan had humbled herself for nearly a year, showing her deference. During that time, no one in the Song family ever mentioned Xiao Yan. But then, suddenly one day, she recognized Xiao Yan as her sworn brother.
Trembling, Song Tangning asked, "If I didn’t have this jade, would you still recognize me as your sister?"
"I'm not bored enough to do that," Xiao Yan replied bluntly.
What reason would he have to recognize anyone as his sister without purpose?
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed the child's tears welling up and falling, which made his head ache instantly. "Why are you crying again?"
When she was younger, he could have just picked her up and comforted her. But now...
He stood up, the hem of his robe swaying as he approached the bed. His handsome face, which could easily frighten a child, leaned in as he reached out and patted her head. "Don't cry. I'll take care of the Song family for you."
Anger surged within Song Tangning, and she slapped away the hand on her head. "Who asked for your help?!"
What a scoundrel.
Xiao Yan was taken aback, staring at the little girl who had flared up in anger, her eyes wide and fierce.
Song Tangning, both furious and frightened, tried to suppress her boldness, realizing how daring she had just been. "I want to go to the Prince Cheng’s mansion…"
Maybe recalling Xiao Yan's earlier mention of "brother," she gathered more courage and raised her voice, "I want to go right now!"
…
Cang Lang watched as the commander carried the little lady out. The fox fur cloak covered her small figure, and as soon as they entered the carriage, the little lady curled up into a corner. Her fearful yet cautious demeanor made Cang Lang's mouth twitch, suppressing a laugh. Jin Yun also couldn't help but chuckle.
The uninjured side of Song Tangning's face flushed bright red.
Xiao Yan found it amusing to see her shrink into the corner, clearly scared despite having been so fierce just moments ago.
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